Healthcare Worker Safety

Course Overview

The Healthcare Worker Safety course from the American Institute of Safety Professionals addresses the unique and concentrated hazards that healthcare workers face: patient handling injuries (the #1 cause of healthcare worker injury), bloodborne pathogen exposure (needlesticks, sharps, body fluid contact), workplace violence from patients and visitors (healthcare has the highest violence rate of any industry), chemical exposure (glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde, chemotherapy drugs, anaesthetic gases), slips/trips/falls (wet floors, cluttered corridors, rushing), ergonomic hazards (patient lifting, sustained standing, repetitive tasks), and infectious disease exposure beyond BBP. Healthcare is one of the most hazardous industries for workers, yet it is often not perceived as such because the hazards are biological and ergonomic rather than mechanical and structural.

The curriculum covers safe patient handling and mobility (mechanical lifting equipment, no-lift policies, assessment tools), BBP and sharps injury prevention (engineering controls, sharps containers, safe needle devices), workplace violence prevention in healthcare (patient de-escalation, security protocols, reporting), hazardous drug handling (chemotherapy, antineoplastics, USP 800 awareness), chemical safety (glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde, ethylene oxide), slip/trip/fall prevention in healthcare environments, healthcare-specific ergonomics, latex allergy prevention, infection control and PPE, and the healthcare safety programme. All training is delivered 100 percent online through the American Institute of Safety Professionals LMS. Upon completion, graduates receive a certificate, wallet card, and transcript, employer-verifiable at amiosp.com/student-verifications.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completing this program, participants will be able to:

• Implement safe patient handling: using mechanical lifting equipment (ceiling lifts, floor lifts, sit-to-stand, lateral transfer devices), assessing patient mobility, no-lift and minimal-manual-lift policies, and the patient handling programme that prevents the musculoskeletal injuries that are the #1 healthcare worker injury.
• Prevent sharps injuries and BBP exposure: safe needle devices, sharps container management, standard precautions, PPE selection, and the engineering controls required by the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act.
• Prevent and respond to workplace violence: recognising escalation in patients and visitors, de-escalation techniques, security protocols, reporting, and the violence prevention programme for the highest-violence-rate industry.
• Handle hazardous drugs safely: chemotherapy and antineoplastic handling per USP 800 awareness, closed system transfer devices, PPE (double gloving, gowns, respiratory), and the controls that prevent healthcare worker exposure to cytotoxic drugs.
• Prevent slips/trips/falls in healthcare: wet floor management, corridor clearance, proper footwear, rushing prevention, and the housekeeping that prevents the most common healthcare worker injury after patient handling.
• Manage infection control and PPE: standard and transmission-based precautions, PPE donning/doffing sequence, respiratory protection (N95 fit testing), and the infection control that protects both workers and patients.

Core Curriculum Topics

• Safe Patient Handling: mechanical lifts, no-lift policies, mobility assessment, programme design
• BBP and Sharps: safe needle devices, sharps containers, standard precautions, Needlestick Act
• Workplace Violence: patient/visitor aggression, de-escalation, security, reporting, prevention programme
• Hazardous Drugs: chemotherapy handling, USP 800 awareness, CSTDs, PPE, spill management
• Chemical Safety: glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde, ethylene oxide, anaesthetic gases
• Slips/Trips/Falls: wet floors, corridors, footwear, rushing, housekeeping
• Healthcare Ergonomics: patient handling, sustained standing, repetitive tasks, workstation design
• Latex Allergy: recognition, alternative products, exposure reduction
• Infection Control: standard/transmission precautions, PPE, donning/doffing, N95
• Healthcare Safety Programme: hazard assessment, training, reporting, performance measurement

Mode of Delivery

Course Content

• Introduction to Healthcare Worker Safety: Risks, Legal Requirements, and Responsibilities
• Infection Prevention and Control: Bloodborne Pathogens, PPE, and Hygiene Practices
• Ergonomic Safety: Safe Patient Handling, Lifting Techniques, and Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention
• Chemical Safety: Handling, Storage, and Disposal of Hazardous Substances
• Emergency Procedures: Fire Safety, Evacuation, and First Aid in Healthcare Settings
• Workplace Violence Prevention and Staff Security Measures
• Monitoring, Reporting, and Responding to Incidents and Near Misses
• Creating a Culture of Safety and Compliance in Healthcare Facilities

• Advanced Infection Control and Biohazard Management
• Emergency Preparedness for Natural Disasters and Mass Casualty Events
• Case Studies on Healthcare Workplace Incidents and Lessons Learned
• Implementing Safety Management Systems in Healthcare Environments

Entry Requirements

• No prior training required
• No academic degree required
• All instruction in English

Upon completion, graduates receive an American Institute of Safety Professionals certificate, wallet card, and transcript. Employer-verifiable at amiosp.com/student-verifications.

Program Duration

Examination

Additional Information

Who Should Enroll

• Nurses, nursing assistants, and patient care staff
• Hospital and clinic safety officers
• Healthcare facility managers
• Laboratory workers and pharmacy staff
• Environmental services (EVS) workers in healthcare
• Anyone working in hospitals, clinics, long-term care, or home health

Prerequisite: None. Essential for every healthcare worker.

How This Relates To Other Qualifications

• Healthcare Worker Safety — YOU ARE HERE
• Bloodborne Pathogens in the Workplace (BBP at regulatory depth)
• Preventing Workplace Violence (violence prevention depth)
• International Diploma in Healthcare EVS Management